Spiritual Growth

11 Most Spiritual Locations In The US

I’m going to be moving cities within the next 2 years and I was curious to find out where the most spiritual cities in the US are. After all, I want to be surrounded by like minded spiritual seekers and of course beautiful nature and wildlife. I came to find out that there are dozens of spiritual communities all over the United States. Whether you’re looking for a spiritual vacation spot or a city to move to with a large spiritual community, this is the resource that can help you find it. Here’s the list I came up with using my specialized rating system: The spirituality score was determined by evaluating the number of spiritual locations and businesses in the area. For example: meditation centers, Hindu temples, Ram Dass gatherings, & retreat centers were all accounted for. The nature score was determined by the diversity and amount of nature around the area. Things like parks, nature reserves, and type of climate were taken into account. The community score was determined by population size and friendliness. Cities with more spiritual community oriented spaces and centers received a higher score. 1. Maui, Hawaii The second largest of the Hawaiian islands, Maui, is a spiritual oasis in the Pacific. Home to the late Ram Dass for 15 years before his death, Maui hosts one of the largest spiritual communities in the world. A large spiritual community was established in Maui when Ram Dass retired on the island in 2004 bringing spiritual seekers flocking there years after. Today you can find dozens of retreat centers, yoga studios, meditation centers, and more that are well established on Maui. Apart from the large spiritual community there is an abundance and diversity of wildlife on the island to explore and bask in. With perfectly warm weather all year round, Maui is truly a peaceful oasis. Notable locations: Temple of Peace Healing Sanctuary, Maui Dharma Center, & Hanuman Maui 2. Sedona, Arizona Sedona, Arizona has long been held as a deeply spiritual location in the US. This location is known as one of the most powerful spiritual energy vortexes in the world. Visitors say you can feel the difference in the energy of Sedona. The powerful energy flowing through Sedona is said to be deeply healing, making this location a prime place for spiritual cleansing and healing. There is an abundance of healers, retreat centers, and spiritual businesses in the area. Sedona is particularly well known for the number of psychics and mediums located there as well. Apart from the incredible spiritual energy and community in Sedona, this location is in the heart of Coconino National Forest. The weather is warm to hot all year round and hosts beautiful subtropical and semi-arid wildlife. Notable locations: The Global Center for Christ Consciousness 3. Island of Hawai’i The largest Hawaiian island finds its way to #3 on the list as a spiritual and natural hub. Though there are less spiritual centers than Maui, the big island has a deep spiritual community and is much more affordable than Maui. The Hawaiian islands are believed to be infused with an abundance of prana or spiritual energy, specifically on the western Kohala Coast. The idea that the Island of Hawai’i is an energetically healing place is rooted in the ancient Hawaiian culture even before Westerners settled the island. There are several ecolodges that connect spirituality with the beautiful nature of the big island. The islands also hosts several spiritual, meditation, and retreat centers. Notable locations: Center for Spiritual Living & Konalani Yoga Ashram 4. Ojai, California The first California location to make the list is the small town of Ojai. This town is known for its deep spiritual traditions and is believed to be another great energy vortex. Thousands of years ago Native American tribes believed Ojai to be a spiritual energy hub and to this day psychics, healers, and spiritual seekers find it to be powerfully spiritual place as well. One location is thought to be a particularly powerful place to meditate: Meditation Mount. Ojai as a whole is surrounded by beautiful mountains and forest as well as being home to several spiritual centers. Notable locations: Meditation Mount & The Krishnamurti Center 5. Gainesville, Florida Gainesville, Florida gained it’s spiritual reputation in the 70s as a haven for new agers and hippies. Since then it’s grown into a matured spiritual hub surrounded by palm trees and several state parks. There are plenty of meditation, spiritual, and retreat centers around the area to explore and get your spirit filled for the day. Gainesville also hosts many spiritual groups such as the “Philosophical Self Inquiry Group”. Though there are many spiritual hubs scattered around Florida, Gainesville appears to be the largest in the state. Gainesville, FL is also home to beautiful wildlife, warm weather, and an affordable cost of living. Notable locations: Temple of The Universe & Tu Viện A Nan Buddhist Temple and Statue Park 6. Joshua Tree, California Joshua Tree is thought to be one of the most powerful spiritual locations in the US. This town is thought to be able to balance your spiritual energies and was considered sacred land by the native inhabitants. With this powerful spiritual energy inhabiting Joshua Tree, many spiritual seekers and healers have opened up centers and businesses in the area. Joshua Tree, CA is home to a few spiritual centers, though significantly less than other locations on the list. On top of all that, Joshua tree is located in one of the most beautiful national state parks with 3 different ecosystems & 57 mammalian species. This town is also one of the most affordable towns in a state known for a high cost of living. Notable locations: Institute of Mental Psychics 7. Missoula, Montana Missoula, MT is was a surprise location to me during my research. This medium sized town in Montana is a spiritual oasis in the mostly barren upper middle states of the United States. Missoula is home to many meditation and

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What is The Qabalistic Cross? (Beginning of The LBRP)

The Qabalistic Cross (also known as the Kabalistic Cross) is part of a broader ritual known as the Lesser Banishing Ritual of the Pentagram (LBRP). It’s a practice that originated within the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, an organization that paved the Western magical tradition. The Qabalistic Cross is essentially a visualization exercise used to expand your consciousness and bring divine light into your being. Before we begin, I want to preface the power of this visualization. This exercise is something to be taken seriously, and not played around with. Only do this if you’re ready to bring powerful divine energy into your body. Seriously… How to do the Qabalistic Cross The Qabalistic Cross serves as both the beginning and end of the LBRP. It’s a way to center and ground oneself, aligning with the cosmic forces and bring divine energy into your being. Take your time with each step. Let’s break it down: What does the Qabalistic Cross do? The Qabalistic Cross is an exercise that brings divine energy into your body. This can signals to your subconscious mind and higher self that you are ready to handle more divinity. Doing this exercise will expand your consciousness and fill you with spiritual energy. This may look like: This is why I prefaced the power of this technique at the beginning, because some individuals may not be ready for this kind of energy to be held in their body. Personally, doing the Qabalistic Cross caused a kundalini awakening in me. Chanting Vs. Visualizing Chanting the words of the ritual may be helpful for some, though it isn’t necessary. The important part of the qabalistic cross is the visualization and feeling of the energy. Though saying the words associated with each step can help, in my experience it is not the important part. Make sure you genuinely feel your body expanding during the first step and feel the energy vibrating and pulsating through your body with each next step. It’s the deep feelings you bring up that causes the real changes and consciousness shifts. Make it your own Once you do this ritual a few times, feel free to ditch what doesn’t work for you and keep what does. Fine tune the exercise to suite what feels best for you. You are your own best compass in spiritual work. Trust what your gut is telling you and focus on what feels right. Conclusion The Qabalistic Cross is an esoteric technique created by the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn used to access divine energy and bring it into your being. It can create profound shifts in your consciousness and grow you spiritually. If you ever feel like you have brought too much energy into your being, stop the practice for a few days and let the energy settle down.

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Is Spirituality Actually Important?

Spirituality has a number of tangible benefits from improving mental health to fostering connection with yourself and those around you. The practices and philosophies associated with spirituality are good for you in so many different ways. Here are the main reasons why spirituality is important: What is spirituality? Spirituality is the experience of connecting with something greater than one’s physical self and the practices that go along with it. It is the recognition that the universe is more than it appears on the surface and that all things that exist are divine in nature. Spirituality is an important subject to consider and discuss because it’s an important aspect to the holistic view of life. In fact, the best life coaching programs in the world include spirituality in the main pillars of a great life. To have an amazing and purposeful life, we can’t skip over spirituality. The benefits of spirituality 1. Spiritual Practice Improves Mental Health The first reason that spirituality should be seen as important is because of it’s mental health benefits. Spiritual practices such as meditation, mindfulness, and prayer are not only good for your spirit, but they’re good for your mind as well. We know from several scientific studies that individuals who practice meditation and mindfulness are much more likely to report lower levels of stress and have a better well being. Benefits of Meditation Meditation calms your mind down and allows you to view your thoughts and emotions from a different perspective. This can help you detach from constant negative thinking and painful emotions. Meditation is a practice associated with spirituality that can decrease your daily stress and anxiety levels. Mindful practice has been shown to lower cortisol levels, the chemical responsible for stress in the body. > see my article “7 Best Types of Meditation: Which is Best For You?” Benefits of Prayer Prayer, like meditation can offer many mental health benefits such as decreased anxiety and stress. The ritual of prayer and the slowing down during the practice can be incredibly calming and relaxing. Some may feel a greater sense of connection while praying causing increased happiness levels. Spirituality offers several other benefits like the ones further down this list that may compound and contribute to better mental health overall. 2. Spirituality Helps Us Understand The Universe Spirituality offers a perspective on reality and the universe that goes beyond the physical realm. Spiritual development may offer you a new framework to see the world. This framework allows for more than traditional science or the confines of religion. As a method to understand the universe, spirituality can help you see reality from a more interconnected and holistic perspective. This isn’t to say science is a bad way to understand the world, it’s just to say that science as a practice has its limits. Spirituality can fill in the gaps and offer us an understanding beyond the physical aspects of the world. 3. Spirituality Increases Peace & Happiness As you develop yourself spiritually you will find greater peace and happiness. Knowing there is something greater at play in this universe can offer a lot peace and contentment in your life. Knowing that something divine is guiding or helping you can help you feel happier and more at peace going about your life. As we talked about earlier in this post, spiritual practices associated with spirituality like meditation, yoga, and prayer help us feel better and more relaxed. These spiritual practices contribute to greater peace throughout your day. 4. Spirituality Fosters Love & Kindness Every major religion and spiritual philosophy has teachings of love and kindness. We see this in the teachings like the golden rule, “treat others as you want to be treated” which is found in almost every spiritual lineage that exists. Loving kindness is engrained in the DNA of spirituality. Spiritual development usually facilitates an increase in your empathy for others. This is because as you dive deeper into spirituality you start to see the interconnectedness of everything. You’re sense of self and other become diminished and you begin to treat others like they are a part of this divine universal whole. > see my article “The Illusion of Self: The Secret to Judging Less and Loving More” 5. Spirituality Increases Self Awareness Our self awareness increases as we dive deeper into spirituality. Several spiritual traditions and practices cultivate an increase in self awareness. One way that spirituality increases an individual’s awareness is by encouraging self reflection. There are several examples of this throughout every major spiritual philosophy including: As we do more mindful practice and observation of ourselves, our actions, and our thoughts we gain a deeper understanding into ourselves. Increased self awareness can then lead to greater emotional control and regulation. 6. Spirituality Offers Community & Connection Every spiritual tradition usually has a community aspect attached to it. By following a specific spiritual or religious tradition you’ll have no trouble finding a community with the same goals of growing spiritually. If you’re on a path of nonreligious spirituality, finding a community may be slightly more difficult. Not only will you find community on the spiritual path, but you’ll also develop a greater sense of connection. Not just with the people you meet on the path but with everything that exists. Profound spiritual insights or awakenings can leave you with an understanding of deep connection with the universe. Final Thoughts So there you have it, spirituality has an important part to play in a full and happy life. Spirituality has numerous benefits that will help you live a happier and more fulfilling. From meditation practice and the peace that it brings to creating a spiritual community, spirituality is indeed important.

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